How Much Does an NP Make in Montana in 2026?

A typical NP in Montana earns about $65.97 per hour ($137,210 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $11,434 a month and $2,639 a week, calculated from the annual figure. These figures represent typical pay across the state's nurse practitioners, from Billings to rural clinics.

Montana pay sits 4% above the national figure of $132,300 a year ($63.61 an hour) for nurse practitioners, and the state ranks 12th out of 51 states and territories on typical pay. About 1,260 NPs work in Montana, compared with 323,040 nationwide. Ranking in the top quarter of states while employing a fraction of the nurse practitioners found in larger states shows typical pay holding up well by comparison.

Entry-level nurse practitioner positions in Montana typically offer around $50.53 an hour, or about $105,110 a year. Pay generally rises from there as NPs gain clinical experience and take on more responsibility. Within a few years, many reach the state's typical pay of $137,210 a year. The climb reflects experience, added certifications, and sometimes a shift to a higher-paying setting or city.

Experienced nurse practitioners in Montana often earn upwards of $73.01 an hour, or about $151,860 a year, and the top 10% make over $80.26 an hour, or $166,940 a year. That leaves a $61,830 gap between entry-level and top pay across the state. Setting matters: specialty clinics and hospital systems in larger cities tend to pay more than small rural practices. Years of experience and additional certifications also separate the two ends of the range.

In 2015, typical NP pay in Montana stood at $92,000 a year. By 2025, it had climbed to $137,210, a gain of $45,210 over the decade. That amounts to a 49% rise in typical pay over ten years. The increase has been steady rather than sudden, building year over year.

Montana's 49% increase outpaces the national rise of 35% over the same ten years. Pay for nurse practitioners in the state has moved up substantially since 2015, both in dollars and against the national pace. For someone starting a career in Montana now, that history shows sustained growth, though it offers no guarantee about future years.

Pay runs highest in Bozeman, where nurse practitioners typically earn $139,990 a year ($67.30 an hour), about 2% above the state figure. Billings follows closely at $139,050 a year, and Helena comes in at $136,420. All figures reflect each city's full metro area, not just its downtown core.

Great Falls pays the least among the state's tracked cities, at $130,330 a year ($62.66 an hour), putting the full city spread at $9,660 between the highest and lowest markets. Billings employs the most nurse practitioners of the five, with about 160 working there. The gap between cities is modest, and likely tracks differences in local living costs as much as anything else.

Montana's neighbors generally pay a bit less for nurse practitioners. Idaho's typical pay is $132,540 a year, about 3% below Montana, while Wyoming sits at $132,200, roughly 4% lower. North Dakota and South Dakota trail further, at $130,070 and $128,840, or 5% and 6% below Montana's figure. Nurse practitioner licenses can often be endorsed or transferred between neighboring states, making moves across these borders relatively straightforward.

Nurse practitioners in Montana typically earn $137,210 a year, up 49% over the past decade. Pay varies modestly by city and rises steadily with experience. Readers weighing a move to Montana or a switch into the field can check the state's licensing or nursing registry page for requirements, and the city pages on this site for local pay figures in Bozeman, Billings, and beyond.